Tips for a Successful COMEXUS Interview
Mexico is among the Fulbright countries that conducts semi-finalist interviews in the host-country language. As a semi-finalist in both 2022 and 2023, I experienced two such Spanish-language interviews with COMEXUS, the organization that facilitates Fulbright grants to Mexico. Thanks to prior experience, I felt significantly more prepared the second time around. I also developed a regimen to prepare myself to interview successfully in Spanish as a non-native speaker.
If you are currently a Fulbright-COMEXUS semi-finalist, keep reading to learn essential tips to prepare for a successful interview - especially if Spanish is not your native language!
(Though these tips come from a Mexico grantee’s perspective, Fulbright semi-finalists to other countries may also find them helpful.)
Three Essential Tips to prepare for a Successful COMEXUS Interview:
Spanish Content “Diet”: In the months leading up to my interview, I went on a “diet” of 90-100% Spanish content, from podcasts and audiobooks to YouTube channels and shows. This practice helped me immerse myself in Spanish and think in my second language consistently even while living in the U.S.
As you select Spanish-language content…
Choose topics that interest you! What topics do you gravitate towards? Seek out podcasts and YouTubers who address the same topics in Spanish. For me, this was psychology, true crime, and theology. (I also unsubscribed from all English podcasts so my library was fully Spanish!) Use Libby or Audible to listen to your favorite novels, biographies, and self-help books in Spanish. I made my way through the Harry Potter series as well as the Spanish translation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Hábitos Atómicos by James Clear.
Listen to a variety of levels. Listen to content that is intended for native speakers as well as content designed for language learners. Get very comfortable listening to content that is too advanced for you to fully understand, following the gist of the topic and picking out words here and there. Conversely, listen to content that is at your level, designed for you to improve your grammar and vocabulary.
2. Journal in Spanish. Journaling is a great way to prepare for your Fulbright interview. If you are preparing for a COMEXUS interview, try out the journaling and talking point tips from my Fulbright Semi-Finalist Interview Preparation post - simply do them in Spanish!
3. Practice speaking about your project in Spanish. I am lucky to have daily Spanish-speaking practice with my husband. Even if you don’t have in-house practice, you can get creative. Ask a Spanish-speaking friend or professor to talk with you, whether in person or remotely. Schedule a mock interview or two. Record yourself responding to question prompts and listen back, making notes on how you can improve.
Thank you for reading! I hope these details are helpful and make their way to this year’s Fulbright semi-finalists. If that is you, please drop a comment!👇 I will be happy to address your questions about the COMEXUS interview process in a future blog post.
This blog (www.melissaterrallpiano.com/blog) is not an official site of the Fulbright Program or the U.S. Department of State. The views expressed on this site are entirely those of its author and do not represent the views of the Fulbright Program, the U.S. Department of State, or any of its partner organizations.